{"id":11630,"date":"2022-01-28T14:53:09","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T13:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=162552"},"modified":"2022-01-28T15:21:18","modified_gmt":"2022-01-28T14:21:18","slug":"myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts\/","title":{"rendered":"Myra Hess: the best recordings of the British pianist famed for her wartime concerts"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By BBC Music Magazine\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 28 January 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Pianist Myra Hess garnered fame during the Second World War, when she organised nearly 2000 lunchtime concerts at the National Gallery \u2013 starting during the period of the Blitz. They continued for many years every week, from Monday to Friday, with Hess playing in many of them.<\/p>\n

In later life<\/span>, Myra Hess professed not to like her own recordings (like many other artists she detested the process). \u2018They bore me to death,\u2019 she said, admitting that if she heard one being played on the radio she \u2018quite liked bits of Carnaval<\/i> and Beethoven\u2019s Op. 109\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B072RCXC88\/?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\" target=\""_blank"\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><iframe title=\""Spotify\" embed:=\"\" sonata=\"\" no.=\"\" in=\"\" e=\"\" major=\"\" op.=\"\" i.=\"\" vivace=\"\" ma=\"\" non=\"\" troppo=\"\" adagio=\"\" espressivo=\"\" width=\""100%"\" height=\""80"\" style=\""[object\" object=\"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\""autoplay;\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" fullscreen=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/0W68HlZdiktsWP9AjMPzi0?si=60299ce2a6e745e0&utm_source=oembed"\"\/>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B086Q98KZJ\/?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\""p2"\"><span class=\""s2"\">These are, indeed, special highlights of her discography. Others include <strong>Beethoven\u2019s Op. 110 Sonata<\/strong>, <strong>Franck\u2019s <i>Variations symphoniques<\/i><\/strong> (with Basil Cameron) and <strong>Schumann\u2019s <i>\u00c9tudes symphoniques<\/i><\/strong>. The latter was a favourite of Myra\u2019s teacher Tobias Matthay, who noted that the work had been dedicated to William Sterndale Bennett, his first composition teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Spotify\" embed:=\"\" piano=\"\" sonata=\"\" no.=\"\" in=\"\" a-flat=\"\" major=\"\" op.=\"\" iiia.=\"\" adagio=\"\" ma=\"\" non=\"\" troppo=\"\" width=\""100%"\" height=\""80"\" style=\""[object\" object=\"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\""autoplay;\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" fullscreen=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/689DChejFPH552ym2jdaNp?si=6fb7724053ff43c2&utm_source=oembed"\"\/>\n<p class=\""p2"\"><span class=\""s2"\">Among the shorter works are some delicious <strong>Scarlatti sonatas<\/strong> and <strong>late Brahms<\/strong>, <strong>Rudolph Ganz\u2019s transcription of Schubert\u2019s <i>Rosamunde<\/i> ballet music<\/strong>, <strong><i>Jesu, joy<\/i><\/strong> of course and \u2013 among the works she recorded at her last session in 1957 \u2013 a superb account of <strong>Granados\u2019s <i>The Maiden and the Nightingale<\/i><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Spotify\" embed:=\"\" keyboard=\"\" sonata=\"\" in=\"\" c=\"\" minor=\"\" kk.=\"\" width=\""100%"\" height=\""80"\" style=\""[object\" object=\"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\""autoplay;\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" fullscreen=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/02GllJpzoafs3lbWGoplMb?si=875710e10a284d14&utm_source=oembed"\"\/>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Myra-Hess-Solo-Concerto-Recordings\/dp\/B00AWGRGF4\/?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><iframe title=\""Spotify\" embed:=\"\" goyescas=\"\" no.=\"\" the=\"\" lover=\"\" and=\"\" nightingale=\"\" width=\""100%"\" height=\""80"\" style=\""[object\" object=\"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\""autoplay;\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" fullscreen=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/6iaIxmsBb6gxRWMXaSdCAJ?si=4af40ef394fa4842&utm_source=oembed"\"\/>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B0059KM50Y\/ref=sr_1_5?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\""p2"\"><span class=\""s2"\">Some of Hess\u2019s admirers think she is heard at her best in live performances, such as those from the University of Illinois in 1949 and broadcasts from 1937 in a three-disc set.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Live Recordings from the University of Illinois<br\/>\nMyra Hess (piano), University of Illinois Sinfonietta\/John M Kuypers, Detroit Symphony Orchestra\/Victor Kolar (APR7306)<\/em><\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Myra-Hess-Recordings-University-Illinois\/dp\/B01K8NE9BE\/?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><iframe title=\""Spotify\" embed:=\"\" live=\"\" recordings=\"\" from=\"\" the=\"\" university=\"\" of=\"\" illinois=\"\" width=\""100%"\" height=\""380"\" style=\""[object\" object=\"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\""autoplay;\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" fullscreen=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/6QDukIkDbIQlgYHxswU0Q8?si=f4B8LxfTTPu7Ezj2xxSYYQ&utm_source=oembed"\"\/>\n<div class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-container"\" data-position=\""adhoc"\" hidden=\"\"> <h5 class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-title\" monetizer-title=\"\" style=\""background-color:\" color:=\"\"\/> <div id=\""monetizer__deals"\" data-type=\""price-comparison"\" data-config=\"'{"shopId":"1378","market":"gbp_en","template":"default","searchKeywords":"Myra\" hess=\"\" live=\"\" recordings=\"\" from=\"\" the=\"\" university=\"\" of=\"\" illinois=\"\"\/> <div class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-explanatory-text\" body-copy-extra-small=\"\" editor-content=\"\"\/><\/div> <p class=\""p2"\"><span class=\""s2"\"> But it is her studio discs that present a treasure trove of varied repertoire and where a generous spirit, a delight in music-making and the warm, singing tone common to all Matthay pupils are always much in evidence. Her complete solo and concerto studio recordings (1928-57) are available in a five-CD set.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Myra Hess: Complete Solo and Concerto Studio Recordings<\/em><br\/><em>Myra Hess (piano) (APR7504)<\/em><\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Myra-Hess-Solo-Concerto-Recordings\/dp\/B00AWGRGF4\/?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><div class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-container"\" data-position=\""adhoc"\" hidden=\"\"> <h5 class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-title\" monetizer-title=\"\" style=\""background-color:\" color:=\"\"\/> <div id=\""monetizer__deals"\" data-type=\""price-comparison"\" data-config=\"'{"shopId":"1378","market":"gbp_en","template":"default","searchKeywords":"Myra\" hess:=\"\" complete=\"\" solo=\"\" and=\"\" concerto=\"\" studio=\"\" recordings=\"\"\/> <div class=\""monetizer__price-comparison-explanatory-text\" body-copy-extra-small=\"\" editor-content=\"\"\/><\/div><\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By BBC Music Magazine Published: Friday, 28 January 2022 at 12:00 am Pianist Myra Hess garnered fame during the Second World War, when she organised nearly 2000 lunchtime concerts at the National Gallery \u2013 starting during the period of the Blitz. They continued for many years every week, from Monday to Friday, with Hess playing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":11631,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"2"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-scaled.jpg",2419,2560,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-283x300.jpg",283,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-768x813.jpg",768,813,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-968x1024.jpg",800,846,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-1451x1536.jpg",1451,1536,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/myra-hess-the-best-recordings-of-the-british-pianist-famed-for-her-wartime-concerts-1935x2048.jpg",1935,2048,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By BBC Music Magazine Published: Friday, 28 January 2022 at 12:00 am Pianist Myra Hess garnered fame during the Second World War, when she organised nearly 2000 lunchtime concerts at the National Gallery \u2013 starting during the period of the Blitz. They continued for many years every week, from Monday to Friday, with Hess playing…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/11630"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}